INJURY REPORT: Pittsburgh lost starting quarterback Tom Savage at halftime because of a rib injury. Savage completed 8-of-13 passes for 124 yards and was replaced by Chad Voytik, who connected on 5-of-9 passes for 108 yards. … BG’s Cameron Truss suffered an undisclosed upper extremity injury in the first half and did not return. He had two tackles in the contest.

BY THE NUMBERS: Ryland Ward led the BG defense with 10 tackles, including seven solo stops, while Gates and Brian Sutton both were second with eight stops each. … The Falcons finished with just 10 net yards rushing because of the 56 yards in sacks. Travis Greene led Bowling Green with 39 yards rushing on 18 attempts. … Shaun Joplin led the Falcons with six catches for 86 yards, while Heath Jackson was close behind with five receptions for 78 yards. … BG punter Brian Schmiedebusch averaged 54.6 yards per kick on five punts in his final college game, thanks in part to punts of 67, 60 and 56 yards.

RECORDS WATCH: The 94-yard kickoff return by BG’s BooBoo Gates was the second-longest in Little Caesars Pizza Bowl history. … The 67-yard punt by Schmiedebusch was the third-longest in bowl history.

BOWL SWAG: Players from both teams received a Timely Watch Co. watch, a leather luggage set, and a football.

NO STRANGER: Pitt coach Paul Chryst was familiar with both Bowling Green and the Mid-American Conference.

Chryst played at Wisconsin for coach Dave McClain, the son-of-law of former Falcon coach Doyt Perry. What’s more Chryst’s father George was on McClain’s first staff and Tom McClain, Dave’s son, played for Chryst’s father at UW-Platteville.

Chryst was a graduate assistant coach for Don Nehlen, the former BG coach, for two years at West Virginia.

Chryst’s brother Rick also served as MAC commissioner for 10 seasons.

NOTES: The Falcons fell to 1-1 in this bowl after winning the 2003 contest. BG also suffered its first lost at Ford Field after a pair of victories. … Atlantic Coast Conference teams now are 2-0 in the bowl after Pitt’s victory. The other win was by Boston College, a 51-25 victory over Toledo in the 2002 game. … Among those on the Pitt roster is Tony Harper, a tight end who graduated from St. John’s Jesuit. … New BG coach Dino Babers was at the contest and was interviewed by ESPN. … Toledo native Bill Clark was the sideline reporter for the national radio broadcast.